Strategy Trade and List Management Thread Part 8 (opposition supporters - READ posting rules before posting)

[_Mike_]

Opposition supporters coming to troll , you have been warned

 

[doggie dog]

Yeah , a 90 yr old at an orgy can often start off like a house on fire , but come red time at the business end —-
Let’s just say ,the finish can be quite disappointing !!

So I’m told !

Unless that 90 year old is Mick Jagger

 

[dergert]

Don't mind Frost. Solid guy off the field too

 

[_Cerberus_]

I still reckon we will go the preseason trial route and have some train on with us to determine the best fit. At least that is what I hope we do, than randomly sign a defender out of desperation too soon. Need to see who fits our system the best.

 

[Golden_6]

The simple question we have to ask is if Frost is better option than Ryan Gardner & Jedd Busslinger as an AFL level full back in 2026? I believe he’s clearly better than both next season.

I don’t think we have much to lose by bringing him on as rookie in essentially the last spot on the list. Coffield doesn’t offer much and can be replaced by Sellwood & Cleary so that call is easy for me as well.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Unless that 90 year old is Mick Jagger

Meet the man who could be Australia's oldest dad at 93 and wants more kids

9now.nine.com.au

 

[VitalDread]

Reading between the interviews

I feel like we would only target a sub 25 key defender as Regan keeps going on about long term thinking

Ideally, Blight for me but h has interest from Pies

 

[Golden_6]

Reading between the interviews

I feel like we would only target a sub 25 key defender as Regan keeps going on about long term thinking

Ideally, Blight for me but h has interest from Pies

There can be a long term strategy but also a need for a stopgap to fill in the gaps.

Frost doesn’t affect any sort of long term planning or strategy whereas bringing in a defender that we weren’t overly keen on for the sake of it (ie. Butts) would.

 

[_Cerberus_]

There can be a long term strategy but also a need for a stopgap to fill in the gaps.

Frost doesn’t affect any sort of long term planning or strategy whereas bringing in a defender that we weren’t overly keen on for the sake of it (ie. Butts) would.

Yes and no. Whilst Frost would be a stop gap, and say we also signed a 25 and under long term project.

Suddenly we have Busslinger, JOD, Lobb, Frost, Project Player, Walker, Gards, and people also want Croft there. That is 8 tall defenders. Only 2-3 can play AFL at once, and there is debate whether 3 is too many. That leaves 4-5 in the VFL reserves. Meaning some of those developing have to have their growth stunted by playing elsewhere. As it's insane to play 4 tall defenders at once.

As someone pointed out a few weeks ago. The number of defenders we have is not the issue. It's quality. Not sure a stop gap adding to that crowded number, that won't improve the team, or has little long term growth is the answer. Which is why I rather focus on developing who we have properly, and target quality for the next offseason.

Moving Jones on allows Walker or Croft to move back into defence next season.

*note, I forgot to include the potential addition of Will Darcy.

 

[NthBondiDoggies]

I think we do into 2026 better than 2025 - *adds (or played less than 5 games)

West Darcy Weightman*

Croft* Naughton Jones*

Trelor* Red Davidson

Dale Lobb JOD

Williams Frost* Buderick*

Friejah, Sanders, Jacques* Dolan* Hynes*

6 out of 23 new. Plus new draft picks.

 

[Lindsay_Gilbee]

I don’t know how anyone could’ve watched Steven May

1

Steven May

Age

33

Ht

193cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.7

4star

K

10.5

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.5

3star

MG

307.3

4star

D

15.5

4star

K

12.1

5star

HB

3.4

2star

M

3.4

3star

T

0.5

1star

MG

378.4

5star

D

12.4

4star

K

8.8

4star

HB

3.6

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.8

4star

last year and thought he’s the answer. The game v Port was probably the worst game I’ve seen a key defender player.

Been a gun for a long time, but in 2026 he’s about as relevant as Alex Rance or Matthew Scarlett

Matthew Scarlett

Age

46

Ht

192cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.8

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

5.3

4star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.5

3star

No current season stats available

D

3.8

1star

K

3.2

2star

HB

0.6

1star

M

2.0

3star

T

0.8

3star

.

 

[Libbaaaa]

Frost played 24 games in 2024, 11th in the best and fairest and won best clubman. Would be more than happy if he signed a a short term deal with us, still has some good footy left I think.

 

[bresker]

Best Clubman award , did he get his pen licence at the same assembly ?

 

[Libbaaaa]

Best Clubman award , did he get his pen licence at the same assembly ?

Not sure, just know he isn’t a liability in the locker room like Steven May.

 

[Proffessor]

Did you watch him play at all last year. He had all of the flexibility of an 90 year old at an orgy.



What he would've been is an immediate destabilising influence on the playing group. Something that he was at the Suns and something that he was at Melbourne until they tired of his on-filed and off-field antics.



Because we're a sensible club. And we saw the recruitment of a 34 year old well past his best as a completely pointless exercise.



This is somewhat problematic in a team environment.



A culture as fragile as the club that was desperately trying to punt him for free. Without a single taker.

I guess the entire competition went woke when he became available.


Are you serious?

He's a guy so lacking in self control that after a drinking session said to one of his teammates that they would've lost the 2021 Grand Final if he'd played in it. To which his teammate took umbrage leading to a public brawl.

The guy is a cultural cancer.

It just goes to show how much a club will hold their noses when things are going well. Its only when things aren't that they seem to notice the stink thats always been apparent.

Did you watch our backline this year when our season was on the line?
I'd have selected the 2025 version of Steven May in our best 22 in a heartbeat.

Culture is a tricky thing, so many of the claims that people\clubs like to make don't tend to actually align well with their actions.

So much talk about having inclusive accepting cultures, just so long as everyone does exactly as they are told. Lots of talk about embracing internal honest feedback right up until the point that they actually experience it. Who knows what was said to May to prompt him to respond with such cutting appraisal, we will never know.

We do know he has played extremely well against us on numerous occasions. Seriously, the bloke is a gun premiership player who has played at the highest level for many years and shown himself to be very durable.

Which means that he is dedicated and works very hard at being a professional. That's not exactly culture destroying behaviour.

Lots of people criticised Brian Lake's character and said he was washed up when we pushed him out but he still went on to be the key missing ingredient in Hawthorn's triple premiership team.

We will never know if May could have been that for us because we were too timid to take the chance.

 

[Proffessor]

I'd be inclined to go with the club's judgement, rather than hark back to past on-field performances. They would have access to much more wide-ranging info than we do.

There are many instances where the club's judgement has been found sadly wanting in recent times, particular when it comes to tall defenders. I'm happy to question them on it.

 

[Northern Dogs]

I'm ice cold on Frost. Hope the club is too.

 

[geoffjennings79]

May's own club: "you're cooked, mate"
17 other clubs: "ah, not interested, you're cooked mate"

But apparently he's the answer...

 

[Proffessor]

Yes and no. Whilst Frost would be a stop gap, and say we also signed a 25 and under long term project.

Suddenly we have Busslinger, JOD, Lobb, Frost, Project Player, Walker, Gards, and people also want Croft there. That is 8 tall defenders. Only 2-3 can play AFL at once, and there is debate whether 3 is too many. That leaves 4-5 in the VFL reserves. Meaning some of those developing have to have their growth stunted by playing elsewhere. As it's insane to play 4 tall defenders at once.

As someone pointed out a few weeks ago. The number of defenders we have is not the issue. It's quality. Not sure a stop gap adding to that crowded number, that won't improve the team, or has little long term growth is the answer. Which is why I rather focus on developing who we have properly, and target quality for the next offseason.

Moving Jones on allows Walker or Croft to move back into defence next season.

*note, I forgot to include the potential addition of Will Darcy.

Agree the issue is quality not quantity.
Lobb and JOD, are our 2 incumbent tall defenders. One a late career repurposed forward, the other a late developing rookie, both have actually exceeded expectations in my book.

The problem lies with the rest of the players on the list for the spot. Busslinger has been a disappointingly slow developing high draft pick that has turned into a long-term project player. Gardner is probably the luckiest current player to still be on an AFL list. Walker and Selwood are mid-season draftees who look to be long term project players rather than ready-made mature players. Croft would also be a repurposed natural forward.

If taking on a Frost type seems necessary, and that's indeed possible, then surely that is an indictment on the other KPD players on our list.

 

[Proffessor]

May's own club: "you're cooked, mate"
17 other clubs: "ah, not interested, you're cooked mate"

But apparently he's the answer...

May's own club was having a clearance sale. We'll see how the future plays out for them and for us.

Just in case you forgot, we were the team who missed the finals despite arguably having the best midfield and forward line in the comp.

Yet at this point in time are approaching the next season with arguably weaker defensive stocks than we had in 2025.

 

[Proffessor]

Slowing on field, a nightmare off it (I assume a lot more will come out in coming months).

There's a reason Melbourne shopped him, and a bigger reason nobody wanted him.

The AFL is the epitome of a group think environment.

Almost every year the teams with older playing lists outperform the younger lists, yet the AFL community continues to openly criticise coaches\clubs who keep older players and heap praise on the cubs that pursue youth programs. Why?

The reason nobody wanted to take May on is that they would have potentially copped a heap of bad press if it didn't work out well, either on or off the field, and it's an extremely risk averse environment.

Personally, I'd have been prepared to take that relatively low risk for a potentially very high reward if it worked out for the best.

 

[dergert]

When can DFAs get signed?

 

[Doggy]

When can DFAs get signed?

Now

 

[Ash1337]

Heard the reason Blight was delisted was because of culture reasons. Like similar to why dogs moved on some players out of the club. So probably why the pies are looking at Frost now.

 

[Doggy Dan]

Slowing on field, a nightmare off it (I assume a lot more will come out in coming months).

There's a reason Melbourne shopped him, and a bigger reason nobody wanted him.

A lot of forwards make good backs. Just take the best non-listed forward from the state leagues as a rookie and put them back for a pre-season and through VFL.

 

[F6Typhoon]

We wouldn’t entertain having a 211cm tall, (of American origin) as a candidate at full back would we? Could also chop out in the ruck…